Yeah, I just pretty much put it all out there with that headline.
Mark Pasternak said he lost his state job helping troubled youths because he couldn’t stand working under a black boss who called him racist names like “cracker”, “polack” and “stupid white boy.”
Pasternak was dismissed from his position as a youth worker with the state Office of Children and Family Services in 1999. But today, he feels some relief and vindication.
After a rare reverse racial discrimination trial in Buffalo’s federal court, a jury Tuesday awarded Pasternak $150,000. Jurors found that his former boss, Tommy E. Baines, discriminated against him racially and created a hostile working environment. (emphasis mine)
I have a problem with the term “reverse discrimination.” Reverse discrimination would be preferential treatment, or treating someone better because of the color of their skin or cultural heritage. This was a case of straight discrimination. I have a couple other problems with this story also.
Pasternak was subjected to three years of cruel abuse from Baines, a veteran supervisor with the agency formerly known as the state Division for Youth, according to Pasternak’s attorney, David J. Seeger.
He “was subjected to three years of cruel abuse.” Subjected. Which means he had no choice in the matter. He just had to take it.
Wrong. Mark P. chose to stay at work there. No one forced him to stay there for three years. It was his choice. Three years. If you can’t find a different job in three years, there is something wrong there. It isn’t like there is a shortage of juvenile homes needing help.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying it was all right to call him racist names because he could quit, but I’m just saying he made a choice to stay and take it. He did take some action against the boss, which resulted in a $2,000 fine against his supervisor. But the supervisor kept his job. That, my friends, is the beauty of state employment.
As far as I can tell, Baines still has a job as a supervisor:
The alleged abuse led to insomnia, anxiety and depression for Pasternak, who took several medical leaves of absence before being dismissed by the state in 1999. The state later offered to rehire Pasternak, but he said he turned down the job offer because the state refused to guarantee he wouldn’t be working under Baines again.
Oh yeah, still a supervisor and the state won’t guarantee the defendant won’t be working for him again. After a $150,000 lawsuit. Tax dollars at work, folks. Brilliant.
Pasternak has since moved on to a railroad job, but says working with kids was his passion. I know for a fact there are youth facilities across America looking for staff.
Stop the victim stance and find a job you like. You have $150,000 now. For that money you can move to the Mid-west, buy a house and a few acres and work with youth more than willing to call you racial slurs all day long. They might even spit on you as a bonus.
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